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Rishabh Pant was the biggest IPL auction buy in history (27 crores), when he was picked up by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and appointed their captain. But his disastrous season with the bat hit a new low when he could score only 4 against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium in what was a crushing 54-run defeat. Pant is dealing with mounting pressure and constant questions over his form, as well as leadership. LSG have had an up-and-down campaign with five wins and five losses, and Pant’s lack of contribution with the bat is glaring.

In the game against MI, despite batting at No. 4 while chasing 216, Pant failed to make a mark once again. He played yet another audacious shot — a reverse sweep off Will Jacks, gifting an easy catch to Karn Sharma. It was a repeat of Pant’s previous outing against Delhi Capitals, where he played a similar shot that ended in disaster.

There has already been talk of tension between LSG mentor Zaheer Khan and the skipper, following his demotion to No. 7. However, this time around, it was Zaheer who tried to console Pant after another failed outing. Pant returned to the dugout dejected and Zaheer approached him first, offering a shoulder of support.

Any way you look at it, Pant has had a dreadful season. In the 10 matches, he has only managed to score 110 runs – way below par for the franchise’s leader and most expensive player. He has been unable to anchor the innings or deliver under pressure, which has led to LSG’s hopes of a play-off spot dwindling in recent days.

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At the Wankhede, MI dominated the game. Opener Ryan Rickleton scored a blazing fifty after LSG elected to bowl first, while Suryakumar Yadav, one of MI’s most consistent batters, registered another half-century. Together, the MI batting unit notched up a daunting 215.

LSG scrambled to get the chase going but failed to find any rhythm. Jasprit Bumrah bowled a fiery spell of 4/22 that took apart the LSG middle order and scuttled the chase. Trent Boult, with 3/20 and Will Jacks (2/18) ran through the rest of the batting order. LSG’s Nicholas Pooran showed some spirit and hit three maximums, but the team as a whole succumbed to the pressure.

For Pant, who was announced as an A-Grade cricketer in the BCCI’s annual contract list, the pressure will now be unbearable. Once hailed as one of India’s brightest talents, he has failed to find his mojo this season. Bogged down by that humongous price tag, the season is rapidly slipping away, both for him and his team.

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